Leslie Brown is Program Coordinator with HEY

Volunteering is an excellent way to connect with community and is of course an excellent opportunity to give back. As part of our ongoing commitment to increasing volunteerism in the Bay Area we’ve been profiling our staff members and others in the community about their experiences with volunteering. Leslie Brown, MPA, is the Program Coordinator for  Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY), a community project of United Way of the Bay Area.

One of my earliest memories of volunteering occurred when I was a child and was able to work side by side with my grandmother and mother delivering holiday baskets to needy families. Through my experiences volunteering and helping others  I began to understand the power and impact of individuals working together to achieve a common goal, which changed my life forever.

Recently I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Future Leader Program at UC Berkeley where I  participated as a community panel judge for a group of students. The students in the program participate in a one year intensive program where they are charged with developing skills that  empower them to become campus and community leaders. I was able to provide expert review and insight on how to work with and support nonprofit agencies. I found my experience  at UC Berkeley and my many other volunteer experiences giving back to others to be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling opportunities to shape and improve communities.